Questions About the SRD and OGL

[Laurefindel]

I was hoping you guys could answer a few questions about the 5e SRD and its OGL. I Wasn't sure if the Jan 2016 thread was too old to bring back, so I'm opening another one.

- While you cannot use product identity terms such as "The Infinite Layers of the Abyss", can you make reference to a plane without the whole title, such as a demon being a creature of the Abyss or being banished into Limbo.

- Can you make reference to archetypes that are not included in the PHB, such as "the battle master archetype is popular with...", or this person being "an eldritch knight" (as an obvious reference to the archetype)? Can you say that many guards have the Alert feat without giving any content?

- Can you modify the SRD, like changing a core elven racial ability?

[Submortimer]

- While you cannot use product identity terms such as "The Infinite Layers of the Abyss", can you make reference to a plane without the whole title, such as a demon being a creature of the Abyss or being banished into Limbo.


No. you could make Oblique references (the nine levels of the Inferno, for instance) that aren't specifically using the names given in an official book.



- Can you make reference to archetypes that are not included in the PHB, such as "the battle master archetype is popular with...", or this person being "an eldritch knight" (as an obvious reference to the archetype)? Can you say that many guards have the Alert feat without giving any content?


I don't believe so; at the least, we at MFoV operate under that belief.



- Can you modify the SRD, like changing a core elven racial ability?


So long as you don't add in something from the books that isn't in the SRD, there's no reason you can't modify or change anything else.

[bid]

can you make reference to a plane without the whole title

- Can you modify the SRD, like changing a core elven racial ability?
Refering to a DnD plane might be iffy, but using Dante's circle of hell is safe. You must maintain this fantasy if you wish to use ambiguous names.

Redefining high elf is derivative work, there's no "negative" copyright that forces you to use the whole package AFAIK.


If you end up stepping on WotC's toes, I think the most important bit is: "The use of any Product Identity in Open Game Content does not constitute a challenge to the ownership of that Product Identity." They won't have to defend their copyright or lose it.

[indemnity]

While you cannot use product identity terms such as "The Infinite Layers of the Abyss", can you make reference to a plane without the whole title, such as a demon being a creature of the Abyss or being banished into Limbo.

Maybe. It really depends on if you actually mean reference (Monster who lives on the 8th level of the Abyss, okay), ...for more information please see TILotA page 64 (also okay), or copying slabs of text from a reference work (not okay).

Mostly acceptable is any brief reference, even to named product identities. Generally, if your reference is less than a sentence, it is acceptable. It is never acceptable to publish an adventure set in a WoTC product identify without permission.

Campaign settings are protected, however, non-specific words are okay.

Just as you would likely have problems creating a setting in Hogwarts, using TILotA without permission is not acceptable.

Any common and non-specific term is acceptable use. The single words "Abyss" and "Limbo" are both general and non-specific and will be fine for use. "The Plane of Fire" is fine, or "a creature born of the Plane of Fire" are both non-specific and fine.



- Can you make reference to archetypes that are not included in the PHB, such as "the battle master archetype is popular with...", or this person being "an eldritch knight" (as an obvious reference to the archetype)?

Yes. Both uses you provide of "Battle Master" and "Eldritch Knight" are non-specific terms and acceptable. Issues only occur if you attempt to reproduce the WoTC text from those classes.

You cannot reproduce any class from WoTC that is not in the OGL/SRD. You can write the name.



Can you say that many guards have the Alert feat without giving any content?

Yes. You cannot detail that feat, however, you can include a specific reference to the PHB and the page number.